BWW LIVE Blog: NBC Eases on Down the Road with THE WIZ LIVE!, 12/3 at 8PM! Follow Along LIVE!

Can YOU feel a brand new day? We're gearing up to ease on down the road with powerhouse newcomer Shanice Williams and the rest of the gang from Oz, when THE WIZ LIVE! premieres Thursday, December 3, at 8pm on NBC.

Of course, as was the case in 2013's THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! and last year's PETER PAN LIVE!, the cast is certainly not short on big-name talent - and most come with Broadway or theatrical credits, no less. As if you didn't already know, be sure to look out for Queen Latifah (of 2002's CHICAGO and 2007's HAIRSPRAY), Elijah Kelley (also of 2007's HAIRSPRAY), Uzo Aduba (of CORAM BOY and 2011's GODSPELL), and David Alan Grier (2012's PORGY AND BESS).

The event is also a return "Home" (ha!) of sorts for Broadway's Stephanie Mills, who plays Auntie Em in tonight's telecast. Mills was, of course, Dorothy in the original 1975 production of THE WIZ. That incarnation played the Majestic Theatre, and garnered seven wins on Tony night, including Best Musical.

In addition to the incredible on-screen players, there's quite a few big Broadway names behind the scenes as well: Kenny Leon (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, 2014 Tony winner for that year's A RAISIN IN THE SUN revival) serves as stage director of the telecast, and everyone's favorite Broadway mama Harvey Fierstein (HAIRSPRAY, LA CAGE, KINKY BOOTS.... need I go on?) has provided new material and 2015 revisions to the book. Also, acrobatics and special effects are provided courtesy of Cirque du Soleil, which will be represented on Broadway in PARAMOUR when the production bows next Spring.

And, of course, the most Broadway-centric news of all... subsequent to the telecast, the production is planning a full-scale Broadway reboot, scheduled to arrive sometime in the 2016-2017 season! (It's reported that Leon is again at the helm... we can only hope he'll be joined by, at the very least, some of this superstar cast!) Super exciting!!!

But for now, we focus on the telecast - and what a theatrical event this should be! I'll be here for it all, from beginning to end, recapping the event, providing commentary and reactions, tallying up those Reddi-Wip commercials, and boppin' along to that fantastically tuneful score. So, if you wanna join me on this journey down the yellow brick road, slide some oil to me and check back here at 8pm when it all goes down. Meanwhile, leave your comments below as to what you're most looking forward to during the broadcast - I'd love to hear your thoughts! And to whet your appetite, check out a first look at the production below!

Can't wait! See y'all soon!!

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8:00pm: Here we go!!! Can YOU feel a brand new day?!

8:00.5pm: What a great overture! Ease on down, ease on down... Getting in the THE WIZ mood already!

8:00.7pm: It's Toto! Broadway fun fact: Scooter (the dog who plays Toto) was rescued and trained for this piece by Broadway's Bill Berloni, who's trained animals for such shows as BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, A CHRISTMAS STORY, GYPSY, LEGALLY BLONDE, and, of course, the many incarnations of ANNIE.

8:01pm: Always loved how the traits these guys lack as Oz residents (lack of brain, heart, courage) are present in their farmhand characters. "That's a big old scaredy cat!" Tin-Man says of Lion. Very telling....

8:02pm: Here she is, boys... here she is, world.... it's Shanice!!!

8:03pm: Love this new addition from Mr. Harvey Fierstein. It really does add depth to character and plotline... as he discussed in all those press interviews. Dorothy's running away from her home in Kansas back to her real home in Omaha. She's raised in Kansas by her Aunt Em after her parents passed away in an accident - unnamed. BUT because she's forced to move to Kansas, she's always felt like she doesn't belong. Hence, her need to run away. #2015updates

8:03.5pm: So, she doesn't feel like Kansas is her home, eh? Something tells me that's gonna change by the end of the telecast....

8:03.7pm: Dorothy is SUCH a drama queen! LOLz.

8:04pm: "Home is something that's got to be earned." Sounds like that'll come in handy later! #EarnYourStripes

8:05pm: There's a storm coming!!

8:06pm: "I am different than you are, and one day, you'll see..." / "I want you to be everything I see in my dreams...." These lyrics are so poignant when you consider that the original Dorothy is singing to the New Dorothy.

8:06.5pm: "You can come to me whenever you're feeling bad...." Seriously, what symbolism!

8:06.7pm: "You'll be out in the world, such a pretty little girl, but you'll be out there on your own!" What a poignant message from one Dorothy to the other! Soon, it will be Shanice's show! #PassingtheTorch

8:07pm: So, what do you think? Does Stephanie Mills have the Audra/Kelli role this year? Broadway FTW!!! #TheFeelingWeOnceHad

8:08pm: "This storm means business." And she ain't kidding. A fully choreographed dance with the "wind" of the tornado. #Tornado #WellDone

8:09pm: Holy cow!!! She's literally flying! So creative! #WellDoneKennyLeon

8:10pm: Seriously, that ballet was SO creatively done!!

8:11pm: Fierstein update #2: Dorothy's landed in Munchkinland, and the Munchkins are convicting her of murder. "Is the person attached to them feet DEAD?!" #2015updates

8:11.5pm: TBH, this munchkin reminds me of Tituss Burgess. "You've been found guilty in the murder of the house degree.... Throw her a PARTY!!!"

8:12pm: It's Addaperle!

8:13pm: Backstory: Evillene, Addaperle and Glinda are all sisters. Wonder if that'll be important to know later?

8:14pm: Addaperle's got an iPad! #2015updates

8:14.5pm: Loving this one-liners. "That falls under the heading of transporting a minor across state lines." Hahaha #2015updates

8:15pm: Oh, yesss!!! Here comes those Amber Riley vocals we all know and love!!

8:16pm: He's the WIIIIIII-ZARD!!! :-) This song is such a party! #HesTheWizard

8:17pm: YAAAAASSS! That last riff!!!! I'm happy now!!!

8:17.5pm: Fun Fact: Though Riley has not yet actually appeared on Broadway, she's already sung a plethora of Broadway standards, thanks to seven years on the theatre-bred GLEE. Main Stem hits sung by Riley on the show included RENT's "Take Me or Leave Me" (a duet with Lea Michele), "The Lady is a Tramp" from BABES IN ARMS, CHICAGO's "Cell Block Tango" with the rest of the ladies, and, of course, "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from DREAMGIRLS. Riley made her New York debut in Encores' COTTON CLUB PARADE in 2011, which later moved onto Broadway (sadly without Riley) under the name AFTER MIDNIGHT in 2013. But, according to secret sources, a Broadway run may not be that far off. Hmmm....

8:18pm: First commercial break. Whadda y'all think so far?

8:21pm: I swear I heard her say The Wicked Witch of the East is named Eponine. #DoYouHearThePeopleSing #ItsEvermean

8:21pm: Don't take off those shoes for anyone, Dorothy, ya hear?

8:22pm: Hahahahahahaha. "You get me a new battery like I asked?" Love you, Harvey. You're killing me.

8:23pm: Winged Warriors, Kalidahs, Poppies, and Evillene? Sounds like Oz is a dangerous place! Watch out, Dorothy!

8:25pm: O. M. G. That voice!! She's definitely a Broadway star in the making!! This song just sings Broadway as well! #SoonAsIGetHome

8:26pm: Fun fact: Jennifer Hudson, now making her Broadway debut in THE COLOR PURPLE, performed this song ("Soon as I Get Home") on SMASH when she appeared as Veronica Moore during the show's second season. :-)

8:27pm: Seriously, she's killing it!

8:28pm: Awww.... what cute symbolism. She thinks of home and the yellow brick road appears. #RoadtoHome... or rather, maybe, finding out what home is?

8:33pm: And here's Mr. Scarecrow!! Elijah Kelley first burst onto the scene as Seaweed J. Stubbs in 2007's HAIRSPRAY. Though he's yet to hit Broadway, he recently voiced - and sang! - as Sunny the Elf in STRANGE MAGIC, alongside Broadway's most recent Tony hosts Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth (the latter of which is live-tweeting btdubs).

8:34pm: There's a leaf in his hair! Love these subtle details in the costuming. Such beautiful work!

8:35pm: So, let me get this straight: The scarecrow is being pushed around by the other crows (who are demanding money, like landlords?) because he doesn't have enough sense to think for himself, on account of he doesn't have a brain. Is that right? #IThinkIGotIt

8:36pm: "Ain't no getting ahead for folks like me." They're taking advantage 'cause Scarecrow has no authority without a brain. :-(

8:37pm: Anyone know if this song was written exclusively because Michael Jackson was in the film? Either way, it's a winner... despite the title. :-) #YouCantWin

8:38pm: Acrobats at work again!

8:39pm: "I already killed a wicked witch this morning... and I wasn't even mad at her." Lovin' this new power and agency Dorothy has! #2015updates #GirlPower

8:39pm: "You know what?" "I know nothing." #Jokes

8:40pm: YAAAAAS! This is my JAM! Don't you carry nothin' that might be a load... #EaseOnDown

8:41pm: Here come the Reddi-Wip commercials.

8:45pm: The Dorothy bus comin' through, just picking up its passengers. (Feels very Mama Rose/SOME PEOPLE, does it not?) Next up: the Tin-Man.

8:46pm: I've been looking at these costumes via the promos for months and I still can't get over how incredible they are!! Designed by a five-time Tony winner, y'all!

8:46.5pm: Fun fact: Paul Tazewell is a Tony-winning Broadway costume designer, whose recent credits include MEMPHIS, IN THE HEIGHTS, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (2012), SIDE SHOW (2014), DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, and yes, HAMILTON. Look for him at next year's Tonys for sure!! :-) And enjoy tonight's incredible designs! I know I am!

8:47pm: Is he really saying "Let me lubricate my mind"?

8:48pm: Watch out: Tin Man's doing the robot! Man, NE-YO's got good moves for someone stuck in a Tin Suit!

8:49pm: "How can I ever thank you?" "You can start by saying goodbye." / "I never met a man made out of tin before." "You never met a talking scarecrow either. Guess it's just one of those days." I gotta say... Elijah Kelley is SPOT-ON with his delivery of these one-liners. #Hilarious

8:50pm: Love this new twist on the Tin Man's origin story! I know it's not entirely Harvey's work, but still so wildly different from THE WIZARD OF OZ. Like... he wasn't just tin out of thin air? The Witch of the East loved him and when she found out he fell for Bertha, the servant girl, she put a spell on him, which turned him to tin and took away his heart. "She said if she couldn't have my heart, then no one could." :-( #Backstory

8:51pm: Evermean is dead! Tin Man's free!!

8:52pm: Here we go, y'all! Ease on down... #KeepOnKeepingOn

8:53pm: Oh snap!! It's the 'Mean Ole' Lion!!! Lookin' good, David Alan Grier! #ImAMeanOleLion

8:54pm: Haha. Lion saw an owl psychiatrist. Nice touch, Harvey.

8:56pm: Ease on down... ease on down.... Look how skeptical Lion looks. He's not having it.

8:57pm: And off they go!

8:58pm: Some fun facts about NE-YO and David Alan Grier as we head into commercial break. David Alan Grier most recently appeared on Broadway as Sporting Life in the 2012 revival of PORGY AND BESS, a role for which he was nominated for his third Tony Award. Prior to that, he appeared in THE FIRST (Tony nomination), DREAMGIRLS, FORUM, and 2010's RACE (Tony nomination).

8:59pm: And a bit on NE-YO. While NE-YO has yet to grace the Great White Way, he does have a six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon Broadway connection. He performed "Friend Like Me" on the new "We Love Disney" album, released last October - a song featured in the movie, and of course, the 2014 hit Broadway musical, of ALADDIN.

9:00pm: Broadway shout-out! Check out this commercial for ON YOUR FEET.

9:02pm: And now the road's disappeared. This can't be good. :-O

9:03pm: Broadway shout-out! Dorothy's mother is Capathia Jenkins!! Did you see her in NEWSIES? Or MARTIN SHORT: FAME BECOMES ME?

9:04pm: Something about this doesn't feel right. Don't give her the shoes, Dorothy! It's clearly a trap! (Side note: I just figured this must be what Addaperle meant when she said, "Don't take off your shoes for no one." Tricky bugger temptations is!)

9:04.5pm: Too late. The Kalidahs have captured them! But not for long!

9:05pm: "Ain't no Wiz in the world can fix this mess." Aww... Lion. :-(

9:07pm: Okay. So, Shanice wins the night again!! #BeALion

9:08pm: And then David Alan Grier joins in for the duet -- PERFECTION!!! This is seriously like Broadway at its best! #YoureALion #AlltheFeels

9:09pm: I can see the Emerald City!! So close, but yet so far....

9:10pm: DANGER! Poppies!!

9:11pm: I liken these guys to Odysseus' sirens. Don't you think there's a resemblance? And then, can Lion tame them??

9:12pm: Update: He did. And now, what's there to do? Why... Ease on down, of course! What else? #EaseOnDown

9:14pm: Have some fun during this commercial break! Check out the song I mentioned earlier -- NE-YO's cover of FRIEND LIKE ME:

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9:15pm: Another Broadway shout-out! Commercial for WICKED, still going strong after 12 years!

9:16pm: Hahaha. Common as a bouncer! And he's an actual bouncer! #Hysterical

9:17pm: Love the Techno party music in the background. "Are you on the list?"

9:18pm: They're in!! Magic shoes!

9:18.5pm: I can just feel that this gonna turn into a MAJOR dance number!

9:20pm: Is anyone seeing remnants of Madonna? #Vogue

9:20.5pm: "Nobody can see the Great Oz! Not nobody! Not no how!" ;-P

9:21pm: Say it with me now: You Don't Wanna Go In There!!! #JustADoor

9:22pm: Seriously, those shoes are a powerful form of ID.

9:23pm: Commercial break fun fact: Did you know? 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the Broadway opening of THE WIZ. The original production opened in 1975 at the Majestic Theatre, and took home seven awards on Tony night that year, including Best Musical.

9:24pm: TWO Broadway Shout-outs! PHANTOM and THE LION KING commercials!

9:26pm: A commercial break fun fact about Common: Though he has yet to appear on Broadway himself, Common has an interesting six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon Broadway connection: He won an Oscar for Best Original Song for his composition, "Glory," in the 2014 film SELMA, which starred Oprah Winfrey, producer of BOTH incarnations, in 2006 and now, in 2015, of (what else?) Broadway's THE COLOR PURPLE.

9:27pm: "Child, you don't know what trouble is!" #YaaaaasQueen #LatifahFTW

9:27.5pm: And here she is!!! #SoYouWantedToSeeTheWizard

9:27.7pm: Fun fact: Though Queen Latifah has yet to step onto a Broadway stage, she's certainly made a name for herself in the movie musicals CHICAGO (2002) and HAIRSPRAY (2007), coincidentally both produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

9:28pm: Really appreciate this gorgeous set, which, like the costumes, was also designed by a Tony winner: Derek McLane whose Broadway credits include BEAUTIFUL, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, ANYTHING GOES (2011), and BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO (2010), to name a few, won his Tony in 2009 for his design of 33 VARIATIONS.

9:29pm: "What do you want?" "To get the hell out of here!" #Hilarious

9:31pm: Dorothy tells the Wiz she's originally from Omaha, but lives in Kansas. The Wiz responds, "Which one is your home?" Oooh. Good question. What do you think her answer should/will be? What makes a "home"? And yes... I do think we will find out what home means to Dorothy fairly soon. Just a hunch. ;-)

9:32pm: Question: Why does Tin Man get a song here, and the others just state what they want in spoken word?

9:33pm: Never mind, though. This song is SO nice. And fits his voice perfectly! It's like butta. #NoHeartButGreatVoice #WhatWouldIDoIfICouldFeel

9:34pm: "What would I do if I could look inside of me and to know how it feels to say I like what I see? Then, I'd be glad... so glad to share all that I have inside of here." Did anyone catch the facial reaction from the Wiz? Can she relate? What might she be hiding? Hmmm....

9:37pm: "And just think of the time I could spend being vulnerable again...." There's that look again! I swear the parallels are just TOOO GOOD! #Foreshadowing

9:38pm: Commercial time! So, we're roughly halfway through. What do you all think?

9:40pm: Backstory. Every witch had their own corner of Oz. With Evermean dead, her piece of territory is now up for grabs. And Evillene wants it. So, of course, she must be stopped. And Dorothy's the one to do it.

9:41pm: Oh, snap! THE QUEEN HAS SPOKEN!

9:42pm: Question: Is NE-YO's voice inflection an acting choice, or is it a result of being sealed up in an air-tight tin suit all night? #NoDisrespect #Truly

9:43pm: "You ain't gonna give up on me now." Love this song! So uplifiting! And a great message! As long as we work together, there's nothing we can't do. #WeGotIt #Teamwork

9:44pm: Of note, this song, "We Got It," is a new composition written exclusively for the telecast by NE-YO, Elijah Kelley, Harvey Mason, Jr., & Stephen Oremus. Oremus is a Tony-nominated orchestrator and music director, whose work includes WICKED, AVENUE Q, THE BOOK OF MORMON, and KINKY BOOTS; Mason, Jr. is the Grammy-winning producer of a plethora of pop hits, the most theatre-related being 2006's DREAMGIRLS remake.

9:50pm: And an ALADDIN commercial before we head back into the show!

9:51pm: So, here's how things stand. With Evermean's death, Evillene has moved in on her sister's side of Oz, declaring a "corporate takeover" and enslaving all the Winkies.

9:52pm: Make way, y'all! It's Mary J. Blige!!

9:53pm: "Do you know what happens when a drop of water is left to its own devices?!" In case you didn't know (and you couldn't tell from her screaming), Evillene hates water! (Side note: So, why has she set up shop in a room with leaky pipes?!)

9:53.5pm: More brilliant one-liners. And they're relevant! "Oh, you being funny, right? You some kind of Eddie Murphy or something??" #2015updates

9:53.7pm: SLAY, MARY J. BLIGE!! For a song about bad news, this one's kinda fun! And catchy. ;-P #NoBadNews

9:53.8pm: I love how sychronized this choreography is -- here and throughout the night. And way to showcase the ensemble! Throughout the night, several actual speaking roles for many of them! You go, Fatima Robinson & Kenny Leon!

9:54pm: WERRRRRRRKKKKKK!!!!

9:56pm: Are you loving THE WIZ's take on the Wicked Witch? Here's a Broadway-centric question: Which Witch do you prefer? #Evillene or #Elphaba?

9:57pm: Unleash the Winged Warriors!!! These Winged Warriors are members of Cirque du Soleil. Fun fact: The company will be represented on Broadway next Spring, when PARAMOUR bows at the Lyric Theatre.

9:58pm: And, just like that, our heroes have been captured!! :-(

9:59pm: Commercial Break Theatrical Fun Fact on Mary J. Blige: Another talent that has yet to come to Broadway (and after that performance, make it happen, someone, please!!), Mary J. Blige appeared in the 2012 ROCK OF AGES film, directed by Adam Shankman, and based on the 2009 Tony-nominated musical of the same name.

10:00pm: Side note: There are a lot of Christmas commercials playing now. Anyone excited for the holidays??

10:02pm: So, the witch has put the gang to work. And separated them from seeing each other. ("Please, Ms. Witch. We haven't seen each other," says Dorothy.) Seems remnant of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, no? The way Beast locks up Maurice and keeps him away from Belle. I'm sure there are other comparisons. What does this scene remind you of? #Broadway

10:03pm: "When you gonna give up them kicks?" ;-) #2015updates

10:05pm: I got to say, that happened pretty fast. #ByeByeEvillene

10:05.5pm: "Oh, Lord. Looks like I did it again." Hahaha.

10.05.7pm: TBH, this whole scene happened pretty fast. Like, they're free, but we only saw literally two minutes of them being punished. Was there supposed to have been time passed between now and before the commercial break? Oh, well. You know what's coming up next... so, it's all good.

10:06pm: And with the Witch gone, the spell is lifted and the Winkies are now (instantly) free. It's a Brand New Day! Let's dance!

10:08pm: "Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully." Love this song so much! Random fact: It was one of the first I sang in my community theatre workshops back in the day. Haha.

10:09pm: Seriously, the cast sounds GREAT on this one! Love that rich, full Broadway sound!! You go, guys! #BrandNewDay

10:13pm: Common's back! Hope they'll get in this time!

10:15pm: "Who's gonna look for a big bag of gold buried in a little hole right around the corner?" ;-) You think we can get #BigBagofGold trending by the end of the night?

10:15.5pm: "There's nothing like greed to turn a wise man into a fool." Hmm... pretty deep stuff for someone without a brain. Maybe Scarecrow's pretty smart after all. Maybe he had it in him all along...

10:17pm: Hahahahahahahaha! She's in a bathrobe!! Hysterical! Nice twist, Harvey!! #TheWizisaFraud (Side note: She's still looking flawless).

10:18pm: OMG! Love the detail! The Wiz is really from Omaha! Like Dorothy! And Queen Latifah is from New Jersey! Like Shanice!! Coincidence? #WellDoneHarvey

10:18.2pm: "The places you end up when you don't look where you're going." ;-) So true.

10:18.5pm: Backstory: The Wiz originally had a job as a magician's assistant, and gave hot air balloon rides to the public (great detail explaining the origin of the hot air balloon!!) One day, Alfred pushed her too far, so she "got in the hot air balloon and took off for the sky. I wasn't planning to disappear - I just wanted to teach him a lesson." All 'cause she was mad at Alfred. Watch Dorothy's face here - she gets it. IT'S JUST LIKE DOROTHY FEELS TOWARD AUNT EM!!

10:18.7pm: But wait... There was a massive storm, that blew the Wiz all the way to Oz - "When I landed, here I was." So, essentially, the Wiz's story is pretty much EXACTLY Dorothy's. Does knowing this change how Dorothy feels about Aunt Em and her life in Kansas? Does it put everything into perspective? See, she really did get something from the Wiz after all. #LearnYourLessonsWell #SorryWrongMusical

10:19pm: And the Wiz's whole get-up is really a borrowed costume from Alfred the magician! #SooooClever #WellDoneHarvey

10:19.5pm: See, they had everything in them all along!! #Courage #Brains #Heart

10:20pm: "So, knowing that I know nothing means that I know something." Mind. Blown. Pretty remarkable quote when you think about it. ;-)

10:20.5pm: "I know I got a heart, 'cause just thinking about Dorothy leaving is got it breaking." #ImNotCrying #Heartbroken

10:21pm: Oh snap! I just realized that was why she wanted them banned! She wasn't in her Wiz get-up and didn't want to get caught! #SmartMove

10:22pm: "Maybe she don't need feel a warm hug or a friendly handshake, or a loving kiss ever again." TOTALLY get the meaning behind her look in NE-YO's song earlier. She never felt that to begin with!! (And that's why she ran away). So much like Dorothy, it's scary!! #WhatWouldIDoIfICouldFeel

10:22pm: Dorothy got her with that reverse psychology!! "Maybe it is time to get back to the real world." Ain't it the truth. ;-) #WorksEveryTime

10:23pm: Looks like Dorothy's going home!!

10:27pm: Question: So, it's clear by the missing wig/get-up that the Wiz has given up her "Wiz" persona. But when did she tell the Ozians who she really was? And if she's doing it now, why isn't there more of a reaction? She's been a fraud for this long - and y'all never knew!!

10:28pm: "It's not enough to know where you're going. You also have to know where you're coming from." Man, Harvey's script is just full of wisdom, isn't it?

10:29pm: Dang! Queen Latifah's got moves! Love the ensemble too! #YallGotIt #DanceGirlDance

10:30pm: What a fantastic twist on the original story! In THE WIZARD OF OZ, Dorothy jumps out to get Toto and the balloon leaves without her, yes? Here, she decides not to go of her own accord, stating that Omaha isn't her real home. ;-) And I'm not quite sure if this is a new update, or part of the original WIZ, but it's definitely not part of THE WIZARD OF OZ, and I like it. Nice touch.

10:30.5pm: Addaperle's back!! #Yaaaas

10:31pm: "Home isn't where you live. It's where you love." #AlltheFeels #ImNotCrying

10:32pm: Crazy Eyes always knows how to make an entrance! #UzoAduba (Side note: Didn't Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin also make a similar entrance during the 2010 Oscars ceremony?)

10:32.5pm: Years before starring as "Crazy Eyes" on the hit Netflix series, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, Uzo Aduba appeared on Broadway, first in 2007's short-lived CORAM BOY, and next in the 2011 revival of GODSPELL.

10:33pm: "Why didn't you tell the child?" So, I assume Addaperle didn't tell Dorothy how to get home 'cause she wanted her to learn the true meaning of "Home" through her journey first. So, she sent her to the Wiz. AND though the Wiz never actually got her home, she did help her to find out where her true home really is. #SmartWitch #SmartWiz

10:34pm: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Gosh, she slayed that last note! #BelieveInYourself

10:35pm: Wait... What?! That's all from Glinda? What?! #OrangeIsTheNewBlack #GlindaIsTheNewMargeMacDougall

10:36pm: "I wouldn't have missed meeting you for anything. Promise me you'll remember me? Keep me in your heart, and let me now and then come to mind." Okay, seriously. How much do you think art's imitating life for Ms. Shanice right now? Couldn't these same things be said of her entire experience with Elijah Kelley, NE-YO, and David Alan Grier? #Memories #Heartbreaking #SheSlayedItThough

10:39pm: And Shanice Williams is killing it in the final moments! A star is definitely born tonight! That last note, ladies and gentlemen! #ImNotCrying #Home

10:40pm: And she's made it home! :-) And how significant to be greeted/kissed/congratulated by the original Dorothy upon arrival?! I think it's symbolizing the torch has been passed. And yes, it definitely has. Well done, the THE WIZ team! A true success!! #BestOneWeveSeen

10:47pm: Now, just a thought... Even though I know there'd be absolutely NO possible way to do this because, I would've liked to have seen some sort of a scene with the farmhands (or even with Aunt Em) to bring it full circle. Like... I get it... it's LIVE... there's no time for them to change out of their Oz costumes/makeup... but then why the choice to have them at the beginning in farmhands' costumes in the first place? Maybe it was to show that these are similar to their Oz counterparts... because they'd have time to change afterward... I mean, I'm just being a stickler... The whole telecast was AMAZING and Shanice's "Home" was definitely a perfect closer. I guess I just needed an additional line or something that brought it full circle and provided closure. What are your thoughts? Closer or no?

10:47.5pm: Side note: Did anyone else notice she only clicked her heels twice?

10:47.2pm: A perfect broadcast!! Guess we can all start dreamcasting the 2016-17 production now, can't we? ;-) Who do you want to see on Broadway from tonight's cast? #BroadwayBucketList

10:48pm: I may have just been being a stickler before regarding the closure. Seriously, on the whole: A BRIL. LIANT. PRODUCTION. Well done! All the praise and love is so deserved tonight: I can't say it enough.

10:49pm: Oh. And one more thing: Bring Shanice To Broadway. (If you need any further reasoning why she should come with the show, check out the OUTSTANDING performance of "Home" from the telecast below!)

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Video Credit: NBC

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10:50pm: Thanks so much for joining me here tonight, guys. Hope you all had fun and enjoyed the show as much as I did! Now, go give your families a hug and tell them how much they're appreciated. ;-) Have a great night, and thanks again! #ImHome #SeacrestOut

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